CHAP. XXXI.] CHARACTERISTICS OF CAVALRY. 



609 



the cav^aliy, under Alexander the Great, used on a new 

 system, hurled with unaccustomed speed upon the 

 enemy, won successes which gave them for a time a 

 dominating intluence. 



The Roman infantry long held the highest position, till 

 the successes of Hannibal's cavalry again turned the 

 scale in favour of the horsemen. Improvements in drill 

 and steadiness, and careful measures taken to meet with 

 the best advantage the horsemen of Pompey, led under 

 Julius Caesar to another revival of the prestige of the 

 Roman infantry. Laxity of discipline, the corruption 

 and luxury of the Roman infantry, produced; as we have 

 seen, under the Empire, a demoralized army that suc- 

 cumbed to the barbarian horse and again caused the 

 belief that cavalry alone were of service on the battle- 

 field. 



The introduction of feudalism and the growth of 

 chivalry led to the exaltation of the cavalry force and 

 the abandonment of the use of infantry, until the English 

 archers and Swiss pikemen had invented a method of 

 meeting the armies of the age, and with bows, arrows, 

 pikes, and subsequently fire-arms, had learned to beat off 

 the charges of the mailed chivalry. 



Again the horsemen rallied from the blow, and ingeni- 

 ously contrived a plan that, for the time, restored to 

 them the advantage. They could not force the serried 

 pikes, which formed an impassable obstacle to the use of 

 their " armes blanches" and under this protection the 

 infantry were able to fire at them with some effect 

 from their arquebuses. To meet this the horsemen 

 strengthened their armour, and being carried, were able 

 to wear it of such weight as to be a considerable 

 protection, and then, taking the infantry weapon, the 

 petronel or arquebus, they rode up, protected themselves, 

 and fired into the squares of the poorly-defended 

 infantry. 



This again maintained the prestige of the mounted 

 forces, until fire-arms became so powerful as to render 

 armour useless. It was gradually lightened, and the 

 horpemen carried on their fighting by rank after rank 



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